Lustful Hearts
Chapter 79: Friend In Nееd - P2

"Well, I don't want to get on the wrong side of you, what can I do to make it up to you?" "Another brownie would be great." I grinned, sliding the empty plate over to him.

He smiled at my directness. "Ahh, so the way to your heart is through chocolate then?"

"Exactly."

T

"Duly noted." He smiled, walking back over to the counter, placing the order as guilt consumed me. Closing my eyes I could see Elijah staring back, and I questioned whether I had done the right thing, but it was done now.

Our friendship had been ripped open, and I was doubtful that anything would ever salvage it.

***

My phone rang for the fifth time that day, I snatched it up in annoyance surprised to see Sam's name flash up on the screen.

"Hey, Sam."

"Oh, Izzy, thank god."

The tone of his voice had me instantly on edge. "What's up, Sam?"

"It's Elijah. I don't know what to do "

I immediately sat up in bed. "Tell me what's wrong?"

"He's locked himself in the bathroom. He's been drinking for the last few days heavily, but today it's worse. He's already drank three quarters of a bottle of vodka, and I'm scared what he'll do . . ." His voice drifted off, and my heart began beating faster at his words.

"Have you tried breaking down the door?"

"I have, but it's solid wood and it's not budging. His mum has gone away for the week, and I have no one else to turn to. I know things aren't great with you both right now, but he needs you, Iz. Right now he needs his best friend, so I'm begging you please come help him."

I sat contemplating for a few moments. Would I just make things worse?

"Please, Iz, he needs you." The begging tone of his voice sent a shiver through me. I knew I had to help.

"I'm on my way."

Sam let out a huge sigh of relief as I leapt out of bed, quickly dressing before ringing a taxi.

Luckily my mother and Mike were in bed. I slipped out without any interrogation, walking out into the cool, dark night, not knowing exactly what I would be walking into.

I pulled up a few minutes later outside Elijah's house, and Sam soon came barrelling out the door to greet me. The look of fear he held made me walk faster, and I quickly hugged him before he pulled me inside.

"Iz, he's not good, he keeps muttering things about the past. I'm scared as he's never mentioned it before, and now since the drink he's becoming more loose lipped, letting things slip. He's bottled away so many things. He's doesn't normally let me in, but since this big fight it's triggered something deep inside him."

I anxiously bit my lip, trying to process all the information. Unable to believe my strong, funny friend had been reduced to this within a week, and all of it was my undoing.

I hesitated before knocking on the door. "Elijah," I asked shakily, my voice giving away just how scared I was right now.

"Just leave me alone. It's just like it was before, I'm all alone and no one cares. I can't take this anymore. I want it to stop-"

"Elijah." I spoke more forcefully, hoping my voice would be heard this time. The room went quiet, and my heart started beating more erratically as my ears strained to hear any sign of movement. "Elijah, open the door now, you're scaring us."

"Iz?" he whimpered.

"Yes, it's me, I'm here. Now open the door." My face was pressed against the cold, hard wood, my eyes closed as I willed him to listen to my voice and do as I asked.

"Why are you here, Iz? You said you didn't want anything more to do with me. It's what happens, it's what always happens."

I let out a sigh, just hearing the harshness of my words repeated back. "I asked for a breather, for some space. Of course I haven't cut you out of my life, you are so important to me." My voice broke at the last part. I needed for him to know just how much he meant to me.

"Not any more, you've replaced me with Ryan. I saw it with my own two eyes." The bitter tone to his voice was harsh, and his words truly stung.

"He hasn't replaced you, he's just been around, nobody could replace you."

As if anyone could?

He was unique in every sense and the best friend a girl could ever have. I couldn't even contemplate a life without him being part of it.

"They all do in the end, it's inevitable. They leave me and I'm all alone and I'm sick of it!" He yelled the last part, and I flinched at his tone. He was really starting to scare me now.

We heard a loud crash, and Sam's eyes widened in alarm. "Right, that's it Elijah-open the fucking door now-I mean it!"

I grabbed Sam and pulled him back, tears were rolling down his face. I could see his pain as my heart drummed hard in my chest, scared at what we were about to be faced with.

"Elijah, come on, please... we can't discuss this through a door. I need to see you to know you're okay... please." A tear trickled down my cheek. Was he ever going to trust us enough to let us in? "Oh god, Izzy-there's blood-I'm bleeding," he screamed, his voice sending fear right through both of us.

Sam slammed hard against the door, but it was not about to budge any time soon. I could see the panic in his face, At this rate he was going to bust his shoulder.

Elijah began sobbing loudly, and I felt myself begin to go into melt down. But I couldn't let myself go to pieces, my friend needed me right now.

"Elijah, we love you. Open the door and let us in now and then we can sit and watch The Notebook together, you know like old times," I soothed, hoping my distraction technique would work. "You promise you're not just saying that?"

"I swear, we'll watch it together, and you can even have my share of the Maltesers too, but you need to come out and we need to fix the bleeding first." I prayed my words had done the trick. I didn't think I could take anymore. I needed him to be okay. The thought of him hurt and alone was too much to take.

A few moments later the lock slowly clicked open. Sam barrelled through the door to replace Elijah sat on the floor with the vodka bottle smashed into pieces.

Blood trickled down his arm and he winced with the pain, but it was his eyes that haunted me and filled with so much torment.

Sam grabbed him, pulling him up into a hug. He eventually moved back and cupped his face.

"Don't you ever fucking do that to me again, you hear? I love you so much, Elijah. You can't do things like this, you're breaking my heart. I need you so much in my life; you are everything to me. Don't you ever tell me I'm better off without you!"

Elijah started to cry as Sam enveloped him in another hug before we helped him downstairs onto the sofa. The bleeding had slowly subsided and was now just a little nick. We checked for glass and cleaned the wound, placing a bandage over it.

I walked back through with a coffee and a plate of biscuits. It was what my mother usually did in a crisis. We made Elijah take short sips, watching him begin to sober up a little.

Sam held him and after a while, he began to dose off. We got him comfortable on the sofa, wrapping him in a blanket. He nuzzled deep into the pillow, quickly falling into a sound sleep.

After much debating of where we should both sleep, Sam made me take Elijah's bed while he curled up tight beside him. I guess he was still scared to leave him for even a moment.

I checked my watch, it was just after two. I quickly stripped-down to my T-shirt, tossing my jeans on the floor. I was beat and could barely function, I more than welcomed the sleep when it came.000000